Adelaide, Australia - In a crucial encounter at the Adelaide Oval, India and Australia face off in the second ODI of their series, with the hosts currently leading 1-0. After a disappointing seven-wicket loss in the rain-affected first ODI in Perth, India, led by Shubman Gill, are in a do-or-die situation, needing a victory to level the series.

The spotlight is once again on the form of veteran batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who both failed to make an impact in their comeback match in Perth. Their early dismissals against Australia's pace attack, spearheaded by Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, put immense pressure on the Indian middle order. Kohli, however, has a good record at Adelaide, and the team hopes he can replicate his past success. In their most recent game at the Adelaide Oval, Kohli's century was instrumental in India's successful chase of 298 against Australia.

The weather forecast for Adelaide is promising, with little chance of rain disrupting the match, unlike the first ODI which saw multiple rain interruptions. The Adelaide Oval pitch is known to be more batting-friendly compared to the bouncy wicket in Perth, potentially offering India's top order a better opportunity to find their form. The relatively shorter boundaries and mild overcast conditions could further aid the batsmen.

Australia, on the other hand, will aim to capitalize on any early seam movement to put pressure on India's middle order. Australia have released left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, while Adam Zampa has rejoined the side after attending the birth of his child. Alex Carey is also back in the team after playing a Sheffield Shield game.

Looking back, Australia holds a dominant 85-58 head-to-head record against India in ODIs. In Australia, India has won 14 games and lost 39, with two ending in no result.

The toss for the match will take place at 8:30 AM IST, with the first ball bowled at 9:00 AM IST. The match will be broadcast live on Star Sports channels and streamed on JioStar app and website.

Predicted Playing XIs:

• India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar/Nitish Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
• Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Josh Philippe (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cooper Connolly, Mitchell Owen, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.

Kuldeep Yadav might replace Harshit Rana in the playing XI, as spinners are expected to be effective at the Adelaide Oval.

With the series on the line, expect a thrilling contest as India seeks to level the series and Australia aims to extend their lead.